"Excuse me, please show me your identification—"

  Lina shoved past the security guard at the entrance of DeHaven Conglomerate. She stormed through the employee gates of the company and slipped into one of the elevators that were preparing to close. ??

  "Miss, Miss you can't just—"

  The doors slammed shut. The people in the elevator glanced at her incredulously, wondering if she had a death wish or a desire to go to jail. It must've been both, for she pressed the button to the highest floor that the elevator could go to.

  The higher up the floors, the higher up the position.

  Just who the hell was this woman?

  "Uhm, excuse me—"

  "I believe this is your floor," Lina curtly said, stepping aside to let the people out. She watched as they exchanged glances, then looked at the floor she was going to stop at, and finally, they said nothing.

  Eventually, the employees all exited the elevator. They muttered amongst themselves and quickly called the security downstairs to notify them of her destination.

  If this woman was truly as powerful as her presence implied, then she'd have no trouble walking through the floor she pressed. But if she was just a nobody, she'd be quickly thrown out.

  DING!

  The elevator doors opened. She set foot on the floor and every pair of eyes snapped to her. She knew why. It was late in the afternoon. Who the hell showed up to work this late?

  Too bad she wasn't an employee here.

  "Excuse me, you're not allowed on this floor," the secretary posted near the elevator said, standing up from her chair. She reached underneath her desk, where a panic button would need to be pushed once, twice, then three times.

  Lina ignored her. She took a step forward, but paused at a familiar face.

  Sebastian was speaking to his earpiece when he glanced up to realize who it was. He was astonished at the sight of her. The suspicious and unidentifiable trespasser was Lina Yang?

  "Call off the guards," Sebastian spoke into his earpiece, pressing a finger to it. He kept his eyes glued on Lina.

  "I've got it handled from here," Sebastian solemnly said.

  Lina was surprised by the different Sebastian presented today. So this was the poker-faced secretary. She wondered where his playful side went. Then again, this was a professional setting, and everyone here respected him. If he broke character, what then?

  "Come with me, Young Miss." Sebastian dropped his hand and stepped forward, instantly putting on his professional smile.

  Sebastian reminded Lina of a wolf in sheep's disguise. Lina realized he resembled her Uncle.

  "No need," Lina curtly said. "I know where the private elevator is."

  Sebastian was surprised. "Oh? You've been to our company before?"

  Lina simply nodded. Sebastian stood there, waiting for her to explain, but she didn't say anything else. That was all that he needed to know.

  "Alright then, lead the way," Sebastian said, stepping back and aside to let her guide him.

  Lina brushed past him and down the corridor where the private elevator leading to the Chairman's office was. Her heels clicked on the floor, like ticking time bombs.

  Click. Clack.

  Click. Clack.

  Sebastian was alarmed at how well she knew the layout of this place. He knew she was smart when she was admitted to the most prestigious university with honorable marks. But to think she memorized their building's confusing floor plan…


  Just how many times has Lina come to the office? And what for?

  Sebastian was beginning to understand exactly how little he knew about her. The more detailed report of Lina Yang that he gave to his Boss barely scratched the surface. It was the tip of the iceberg.

  "Impressive," Sebastian complimented. "Let me press my card key."

  Lina stepped aside to let him do so. She took a good note of how the card key looked like. Then, she saw him reach for the passcode, but shot her a glance for privacy.

  Lina looked away, but memorized the sound of the beeps, which made it easy for her to pinpoint which numbers were used.

  "There we go," Sebastian stated, watching as the doors opened.

  "Thank you," Lina said, surprising him.

  Sebastian glanced at her, astonished at how quickly her personality changed. He said nothing. Especially after the horrible headlines that broke out from this morning.

  Sebastian always knew his Boss was intelligent. The Boss was one of the smartest people that Sebastian knew, and that was saying a lot, for a man who was friends with everyone. Not only was his Boss wise, but he was also cunning and calculative. The Boss made people think he was one step ahead of them, when in reality, he was already at the top of the staircase, claiming the prize.

  And that was exactly what was happening to Lina Yang. Poor thing——

  "This is the monthly report of the DeHaven Mall," Priscilla said, handing it to him.

  Priscilla waited patiently for the Young Master to raise his head, but he didn't. She was left standing in front of his desk, quite awkwardly too, with her hand stretched out. But she was a confident woman and didn't hesitate to drop it upon his desk.

  "This could've been an email," he coldly stated.

  Priscilla's heart stirred at his frigid voice. It was enough for Spring to turn into Winter. There was a chill in the room, the air growing thick. That was what she loved about him. He was just so aloof, mysterious, and dangerous.

  "Yes, but I've been sitting in my director's office for so long in the mall, I figured I should exercise my legs," Priscilla stated with a shrug.

  The Young Master said nothing else.

  Priscilla pressed her lips together and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

  That's it? Just five words and their conversation ended? She tapped her foot impatiently. He didn't even look at the papers in front of him.

  "Young Master—"

  Kaden threw the report into the trash.

  "Mr. DeHaven!" Priscilla groaned, bending into the trash to pick it up. She eyed the iced coffee sitting on his table and contemplated throwing it at him.

  Priscilla tried again. "I've worked hard on this you know—"

  "Clearly not hard enough," Kaden said in a monotone voice.

  Priscilla sighed. "At least take a look at this before—"

  Knock! Knock!

  Priscilla paused. Were they expecting someone? She turned around just as Kaden pressed the button to let the guests in.

  "Are you serious?" Priscilla scoffed.

  This damn wall. No matter what Priscilla did or said, he just wouldn't look her way. After she had made the trip all the way to the company, which was across the city, he was throwing her out like this?

  "Sebastian," Priscilla greeted.

  "Boss," Sebastian began. Upon noticing Priscilla was still here, he curtly nodded his head.

  "Director," Sebastian concluded.

  Priscilla gave him an acknowledging nod, but then her eyes fell on the woman in front of Sebastian. She felt a strange stir in her chest. This woman… She seemed familiar. But from where?

  "Lina," Lina said.

  Every pair of eyes snapped to her.

  Lina paused. "What?"